


A Knights Tale

by Ashton210



Series: RWBY STYLE [11]
Category: A Knight's Tale (2001), RWBY
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:55:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24267025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashton210/pseuds/Ashton210
Series: RWBY STYLE [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751530





	A Knights Tale

In medieval times a sport arose. Embraced by noble and peasant fans alike though only noble knights could compete. The sport was jousting.

A pair of mounted knights charged each other on opposite sides of a fence. They wore full armor, and aimed heavy lances at each other. The knight on the right took his opponents' blow to his face and eventually fell off, while his opponent took a lesser, glancing blow to the chest.

For one of these knights, an over-the-hill former champion, it was the end. But for his peasant squire, Jaune, it was merely the beginning.

A knight sat against a tree, his visor drawn up and flies buzzing around him.

"Should we help him?" a man's voice said.

"He has to be in the list in two minutes." A second said. It was revealed to be Jaune, bearded with long hair and cloth stuffed up his nose, talking to Sun, clean shaven and abs covered. "Two minutes or forfeit."

"Alright, gimme those." Sun said, holding out his hands as Jaune handed him the rags, which Sun stuffed up his own nose. He carefully approached the knight and held his hand in front of his face. Instantly, his face fell and paled. He closed the knight's eyes and shut the visor. "Dead."

"What?" Jaune said, hoping he had heard wrong.

Neptune walked up behind Jaune and clapped him on the back. "Three scores to none after two lances." He said with a smile. "All Sir Adam needs to do is not fall off his horse and we've won."

"He's dead." Sun said again.

"What do you mean dead?"

"The spark of his life is smothered in shite." Sun said sarcastically, "His spirit is gone but his stench remains. That answer your question?"

"No, no, no, no, no, he sleeps. Rouse him!" When Sun did nothing, Neptune got angry. "We're minutes from victory. I haven't eaten in three days."

"None of us have, Nep!" Jaune shouted back.

"We need to get a priest." Sun said grimly.

"No, he's not dead!" Neptune yelled, walking up to the dead knight, "Wake up! Come on, huh? Come on, wake up!" he began taking his frustrations out on the knight when hoofbeats could be heard approaching from behind.

"Sun." Jaune said, nodding at the man in finery approaching them on horse back.

"Squire," He said, considering that enough of a greeting. "Sir Adam must report at once or forfeit the match."

"Oh, he's-" Sun said before Jaune grabbed his arm.

"He's on his way." Jaune said with a smile. The man heard Neptune's yelling and kicking behind the pair, but merely shook it off and rode away. "I'll ride in his place." Jaune said once the herald was far enough away. He moved to stop Neptune before he actually dented the armor. "Strip his armor. I'm riding in his place."

As they worked, Sun stood at the top of the hill, his hands on his hips.

"What's your name, Jaune?" he asked, completely serious. He went ignored as Jaune and Neptune began undoing the straps on the armor plates. "I'm asking you, Jaune Arc, to answer me with your name. It's not _Sir_ Jaune. It's not Count or Duke or Earl Jaune. It sure as hell ain't _King_ Jaune."

"I'm well aware of that, Sun." Jaune said, as Neptune helped him into their dead master's gear.

"You have to be of noble birth to compete!"

" _A_ detail." Jaune argued. "The landscape is food. You wanna eat or not?"

"If the nobles find out who you are, there'll be the Devil to pay."

Jaune grinned. "Then pray that they don't."

The people in the stands were stomping their feet and clapping rhythmically as a classic rock song began to play.

_Buddy, you're a boy_

_Make a big noise_

_Playing in the street_

_Gonna be a big man someday_

_You got mud on your face_

_You big disgrace_

_Kicking your can all over the place_

_Singin' We will, we will rock you!_

_We will, we will rock you!_

The knights joined in, bashing their breast plates to the rhythm, as did the nobles, though they were far more subtle about it.

_Buddy, you're a young man_

_Hard man_

_Shouting in the streets_

_Gonna take on the world someday_

_You got blood on your face_

_You big disgrace_

_Waving your banner all over the place_

_Singin' we will, we will rock you! (Sing it now!)_

_We will, we will rock you!_

A group of shirtless fat men were cheering, spilling their ales all over the place without a care, while a young girl danced provocatively in the stands a bit further down.

_Buddy, you're an old man_

_Poor man_

_Pleading with your eyes_

_Gonna make you some peace someday_

_You got mud on your face_

_You big disgrace_

_Somebody better put you back into your place!_

_We will, we will rock you!_

_We will, we will rock you! (Everybody now!)_

_We will, we will rock you!_

Jaune sat atop a horse fully armored, his steed led by Sun and his lance being carried by Neptune. As they approached the lists, an epic guitar solo started. When a trio of trumpet players stopped playing, so did the guitar solo.

The herald from before stood on a podium in front of the noble seats. "The score stands at three lances to none, in favor of Sir Adam" he announced, "Lord Philip of Aragon. Stand ye ready?"

A knight in dark armor riding a fully clothed destrier raised his lance to show he was ready.

The herald nodded and turned to Jaune. "Sir Adam. Stand ye ready?"

Jaune raised his lance in return.

"You ready?" Neptune asked.

"Of course. I tilted against Sir Adam many times, you know." Jaune said defensively.

"In practice, as his target. You never struck him."

"Details."

"Landscape, then." Sun interrupted. "Stay on the horse. He needs three points to beat you, so a broken lance won't do. He has to unhorse you."

"I know how to score, Sun. I have waited my whole life for this moment."

Neptune's face scrunched up in confusion. "You've waited your whole life for Sir Adam to shite himself to death?"

The two knights waited as a flag bearer lowered a flag in the middle of the lists. Quickly, he raised it and ran for the stands, signaling the competitors to go. Jaune immediately kicked his horse into action, charging forward with Sun and Neptune urging him forward. He tried to bring his lance to bear but couldn't get it to lower fully, missing the metal cradle on his side. His opponent had no such misfortune, bringing his lance to bear with practiced ease.

"Get it in the cradle. Get it in the cradle." Sun muttered anxiously.

"Get it in the cradle!" Neptune yelled.

As the two drew closer, Jaune managed to get his lance partially into position, but it was too late. Sir Philip slammed his lance into Jaune's visor, breaking the lance with the impact. Jaune dropped his own lance and forced all his attention to staying on the damned horse.

Sun and Neptune flinched from the impact, but quickly ran to Jaune's aid, celebrating that they had effectively won.

"Jaune!" Sun yelled as he got close, "Jaune, are you alive?"

"We won!" Neptune laughed.

After the crowd had calmed, Jaune stood before the noble holding the tournament and, presumably, his wife, Sun and Neptune flanking him.

"Sir Adam." The noble said. Jaune turned to the source of the noise, Neptune stopping him in the proper position. The noble looked to his herald, who approached the trio.

"Sir Adam, remove your helmet." He ordered.

"Um, my lord." Jaune said, his voice somewhat muffled, "I'm afraid the final blow of the lance bent it onto my head."

"He says the final blow of- " Neptune said before Jaune cut him off with a hand to the gut.

The herald smiled smugly at what he thought was Neptune's admonishment, and turned back to the noble. "I present your champion, milord."

The noble nodded and the crowd cheered as he took a cushion from the lady standing next to him, upon which sat a gold peacock feather and presented it to Jaune. Sun helped him stand up straight, and moved his arm to the right level so that he could grab the ornament. He held it aloft and the crowd cheered even louder. The noble clapped politely, but shook his head in exasperation at the commotion.

A few hours later, on a road far from the tournament grounds, Sun was haggling with a passing trader.

"Twenty." He offered, holding the golden feather in his hands.

"No, ten." The trader, an older man with a long, greying beard replied.

"Fifteen."

"Done." The trader said, shaking Sun's hand and reaching into his coin purse. He handed Sun the money, and he then handed over the feather after he had counted the coins.

"Good doin' business with ya." Sun said with a smile, his tail swishing behind him in satisfaction. He walked back to Jaune and Neptune, divvying up the loot. "Fifteen silver lien, though he didn't want the pillow. That's five for Jaune," he handed Jaune his cut, "Five for Neptune, and five for Sun, who's going straight home to Vale."

"Straight to the pub for me." Neptune said happily, "Eel pie, brie tart, maybe a woman, Gods permitting."

"We could do this, you know." Jaune said, having ran the idea over in his head for the past few hours.

"Do it? It's already done, Jauney Boy, if the silver in your hands wasn't clue enough." Sun joked.

"No, I mean, we can do this." Jaune said turning to the other two men. "We can be champions." When they didn't respond, he said, "Give us your coins." Confused, the two men allowed him to take their winnings. "Alright, so that's one for you." He gave Neptune a coin, "And one for you." He handed another to Sun, "That leaves... 13. That's 13 for training and outfitting. Now, the tournament in Shion is a month from now. In one month, we could split a prize bigger than this one." He held up the coins for emphasis. "In one month, we could be on our way to glory and riches none of us ever dreamed of."

"In one month, we could be laid in a ditch with Sir Adam. Worse for me, if you don't recall." Sun said, bringing his tail up over his shoulder as a reminder. "I don't want glory and riches, Jaune. I just wanna go home."

"Tansy cakes with peppermint cream." Neptune said, his mind in agreement with his stomach, "Dilled veal balls with squashed fritters. I'll take my five now, thanks."

Jaune could see only one way to end this. He began to walk up a hill, Neptune and Sun hot on his heels.

"You can't even joust." Sun protested.

"Well, most of it is the guts to take a blow, to strike one." Jaune argued. "Guts, I have. And technique? I have a month to learn that. Besides, the sword!" he stopped at that point, and grinned. "Name a man better with a sword than me."

"In the practice ring!" Neptune argued.

"You're not of noble birth!" Sun argued, supporting his blue-haired friend.

"Then we lie." Jaune said. Seriously, how hard of a concept was this to get? "How did the nobles become noble in the first place, huh? They took it, at the point of a sword. I'll do it with a lance!"

"A blunted lance." Neptune pointed out.

"Details, Nep. A man _can_ change his stars. And I won't spend the rest of my life as nothing."

"That is nothing." Sun said, pointing to a gallows behind him and the corpse hanging from it. "And nothing is where glory will take us."

"We're the sons of peasants." Neptune said, "Glory and riches and stars are beyond our grasp. But a full stomach? That dream _can_ come true."

Seeing no other choice, Jaune walked past them, a little further up the hill so that he had the high ground before turning back to them.

"If you can take your coins, go to Vale, eat cake." Jaune said, holding a bunch of coins in either hand, "But if you can't, you come with me. Fair?" he took a rough fighting pose.

Sun and Neptune looked at each other, nodded, then turned to Jaune, determination burning in their eyes as they tackled him to the ground. Sun laid down on one of his arms, holding him by the wrist while he used his tail to pry his fingers open. Jaune tried to get him off, but Neptune grabbed his other hand and began biting it.

With a yell, Jaune threw him off and managed to free himself from Sun when he rolled off, chuckling with coins in hand.

"You see how hungry I am now?" Neptune yelled.

"Dammit, Nep! Damn you, and your stomach!" Jaune yelled back. "Sun please. We have thirteen silver pieces between us. Three men can change their stars, faunus or not."

Sun sighed, shaking his head. "God love you, Jaune." He said in resignation.

Jaune grinned. If Sun was staying, so would Neptune. "I know, I know. No one else will." He said, hugging his senior.

Another rock song, Low Rider by War, began to play as a training montage began to play. Jaune rode through a forest wearing the padding for his armor and a training lance in hand. He barely missed the target dummy, pulling out at the last second.

"Oh, come on!" Neptune yelled. He tried three more times, missing each one.

"Unlucky!" Sun assured him, after the most recent miss.

"I think he's getting worse." Neptune said honestly.

"He is getting worse, isn't he?" Sun replied.

On the fifth try, he missed the target with his lance, but clipped it with his shoulder. Doing exactly as designed, it swung around and hit him in the back with a sandbag, knocking him off his horse.

Deciding to move on for the day, they began practicing with wooden longswords. Sun pelted him with attacks, but Jaune blocked every one.

"Switch!" he called out, dodging Sun's next attack and turning to face a faster, fresher, Neptune. He was more unpredictable due to him venting his frustrations out on Jaune, but it merely pushed Jaune to do better. He tripped Neptune over his own feet and he fell onto his back. Jaune aimed the tip of his practice sword at Neptune's throat.

"Switch." The blue-haired boy said, exhausted.

They went back to the lance, using Neptune to hold a target shield for Jaune.

"Glory and riches." He repeated to himself as Jaune charged him, lance lowered, but he chickened out at the last chance. Sun pushed him back into place and held him there as Jaune tried again. Unable to move out of the way, Neptune just dropped the shield onto Sun's foot. to his credit, Sun managed to stay standing and held in his cry of pain, though he did use Neptune to hold himself up.

Neptune turned to him. "You see how dangerous it is?"

The next day, to allow the horse to rest, Jaune stood in a wood cart being pulled by Sun and Neptune. They ran through the forest under a rope, from which hung a pair of rings Jaune was supposed to catch using his lance.

"You missed." Neptune stated afterwards.

"You've done it dozens of times." Sun said, panting.

"Well, I guess that means we should do it again." Jaune said, moving back to the cart. "Come on." When they didn't move, he began to taunt them. "Come on, ponies"

"Fong him." Sun said to Neptune as Jaune broke into a run, soon followed by his fellow squires.

A while later, Jaune stood upon a narrow boat in full armor, doing the same exercise as before, with Sun and Neptune pulling the boat on either side of the river. This time, Jaune managed to catch a ring, but he fell backwards into the river. Sun and Neptune laughed at his expense and walked over to where he fell in. soon their laughter ceased when Jaune failed to surface.

"Any minute now." Sun said, thinking it was a joke.

A few days later, Jaune was in the padding armor, sparing both Sun and Neptune at once with the swords. Needless to say, he wiped the floor with them, the spar ending with Jaune on one knee before Sun, who was on all fours, and Neptune, who had fallen backwards over Sun's back.

Then, they practiced jousting, and Jaune hit the target every time until there were no more practice lances to go around.

A few days later, Jaune walked down a road on horseback, his hair cut to his normal length and his beard shaven, as befit a knight.

"It's my turn to ride." Neptune proclaimed.

"No, we haven't reached the mile marker yet." Jaune said, "And I'm so sure you should. If we passed another knight, how would it look if my squire rode, while I walked?"

"Well, I don't give a crap! It's my turn!" Neptune yelled, walking up to Jaune and the horse.

"Hey, hey, look, maybe nobody should be riding." Sun said, "The horse isn't what he used to be, and we need him fresh as possible, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose your right." Jaune grumbled as he stepped down from the horse. The second he stepped off the horse, a man with long black hair and pink eyes walked between them, stark naked.

"Morning." he said simply, patting the horse's neck as he walked past them.

"Hey, you." Jaune said. The man stopped and turned around to face them. Thankfully, the camera cut off at his waist. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, you know, trudging." He replied. They looked at him, confused "You know, trudging? To trudge? To trudge the slow, weary depressing, yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in his life, except the impulse to simply soldier on." He began to resume walking.

"Oh. Were you robbed?"

"Oh, uh, interesting question, actually." Ren chuckled, "Yes. And then, at the same time, a huge, resounding 'No.' It's more a sort of involuntary vow of poverty, really." He resumed walking, with the trio of squires following him. "But, you know, on the brighter side, trudging does represent pride. Pride, resolve, and faith in the good Lord Almighty, please, Christ, rescue me from my current tribu- Gah!" he yelled, grasping his foot and kissing the spot where he had stepped on a rock. "-Lations."

"Who are ya?" Sun asked, as the trio came to a stop.

" _Aqua lilium inter spinas."_ He replied, spitting on the ground. "The water lily among the thorns. Lie Ren's the name. Writing is the game." When none of them replied, he turned back to them. "Ren? Lie Ren, the writer?"

"A what?" Neptune asked.

"'A what? A what?' A writer. You know, I write, with ink and parchment. For a lien, I'll scribble you anything you want, from summons, decrees, edicts, warrants, patents of nobility." That got Jaune's attention. "I've even been known to jot down a poem or two, if the muse is right. Probably read my book? _The Book of the Duchess_?" Nothing. "Fine, well, it was allegorical."

"Well, we won't hold that against you." Sun said, "That's for each man to decide himself."

"Did you say patents of nobility?" Jaune asked.

A small smile grew on Ren's face. "That's right. And you gentlemen are?"

"Well, uh," Jaune said thinking fast. "Well, I am Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein, from Mantle. And these here are my faithful squires, uh, Delves of Dodgington," he indicated Sun, "and, uh, Fowlehurst of Crewe." He pointed at Neptune.

"I'm Ozpin the Wise. Pleased to meet you." Ren said, shaking their hands before walking off. "No, wait a minute, I'm Ozma the Great! No, I'm Saint John the Baptist!"

"Alright!" Jaune said drawing a dagger and pointing it at Ren, who fell over onto his ass. "Hold you tongue, sir, or lose it."

Ren grinned, "Okay. Now, you see, that I do believe, Sir Ulrich."

"Thank you, Ren." Jaune said, putting the dagger away.

"Got anything else to say, Master Nude, or having failed your test, may we be on our way?" Sun said.

"Oh, off to the tournament, are you?"

"Well, this is the road to Shion, isn't it?" Neptune said sarcastically.

"Well, you know, that really remains to be seen. See, they're limiting the field at Shion." That caused the three men to turn back to him. "Noble birth must be established for four generations on either side of the family. Patents of nobility must be provided." Jaune sighed, knowing exactly where this was going. "Listen, clothe me, shoe me, for God's sakes feed me, let me ride that horse a bit and you'll have your patents."

"Come on." Neptune growled as the trio held a private conference.

"Patents of nobility." Jaune said.

"We need him." Sun agreed.

"Alright, you know what, fine." Neptune said in resignation, "Let me handle it."

"Be nice." Sun said as Neptune knelt next to Ren.

"All right, uh, betray us, and I will fong you until your insides are out, your outsides are in. Your entrails will become your extails." Jaune and Sun quietly began cracking up at his attempts at intimidation, "I will rip... pain! Lots of pain!"

Tournament Grounds

Shion

A (thankfully) fully-clothed Ren stepped up to a panel of tournament officials sitting at a table in front of a row of hanging shields.

"May I present my Lord Ulrich," he said formally, "Whose mother's father was Shilhard von Rechberg, son of the Duke Guelph of Saxony, son of Ghibellines, son of Wendish, the fourth Earl of Brunswick, the same Wendish who inherited the- "

"That'll do, herald." An official said impatiently, "Six generations is more than enough. Just show me the patents." Ren nodded and unroll a parchment scroll wrapped in leather. The Official looked them over and found nothing amiss. "Indicate in which events Lord Ulrich shall be competing." Ren took a small mallet and hit the shields that had crossed lances and crossed swords. "His first opponent shall be Roger Lord Mortimer."

"Thank you very much." Ren said with a satisfied smile and a bow.

Once they were a fair distance away, Jaune started laughing to himself. "I can't believe that worked. Nice job, Ren. I have to thank you. I didn't think we had a chance." Ren, however, only half heard him, his eyes drawn to the sight of a group of men playing dice.

"My pleasure, Jaune." He replied once they had walked past the gamblers. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll stick around. See how things turn out."

"Act as my herald, and you'll receive a share of the winnings." Jaune offered.

"Done." Ren said, shaking hands to make it official. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to see a man about a dog."

Jaune spent a few minutes riding his horse through the town, singing a tune he made up as he went along. A few verses made folks laugh if they got the references. He continued for a while longer until he came across a breathtaking sight: a blonde beauty with lilac eyes dressed in white. Their eyes met for a moment before she walked off down the street.

Awe struck, Jaune followed after her like a lost puppy, wanting to just see her one more time, maybe even get her name. He continued even after she met up with a girl her age with black hair, amber eyes and kitty ears. As he got closer, he realized he didn't know what to say, so he slowed his pace so he could think. Yang heard him slow his pace and smiled, knowing what effect she must be having on him.

"Would you speak to me?" he asked as his horse pulled up alongside the pair.

"Ah, to speak." Yang said, stepping into a stone building. She knew exactly what she was doing, though Jaune remained focused solely on her, drowning out all else. "Bur, sir, my sex are marked by their silence."

"Oh, I would hear you speak if it cost me my ears." Jaune said, trying a line he thought sounded romantic, if a little bit cheesy.

"That is well, for I do not want silence in my life." Yang said, a little happy about the comment.

"Tell me your name."

She shook her head with a smile. "Would you care if I were ugly?"

"Yes." She raised an eyebrow. "I mean, no. I mean- If- "

"You desecrate the house of God!" a familiar, overweight priest cried from deeper within the building. Jaune looked around and saw what she had done: led him straight into a church. And he fell for it hook, line, and sucker.

"Oh. Oops." He said, making Yang chuckle. As a group of priests gathered around to force him out, he hissed at Yang, "Tell me your name, woman."

"And what would you do with my name, Sir Hunter?" she asked. "Call me a fox, for that is all I am to you."

"A fox!" he said, taking the win for what it was worth, "Well, then a fox you shall be until I find your name, my foxy lady!" he quickly turned his horse around and politely hurried out of the church, leaving Yang and Blake giggling as Bishop Port walked up next to them.

"If nothing else, he is a handsome hunter, I'll give him that." Yang said.

"Does this not shock you, ladies?" Port said angrily, turning to them.

"Certainly, my lord." Yang said diplomatically, "I just- I only laugh, just to keep from weeping."

"Ah." Port said his face softening. "Beauty is such a curse. Pray your years come swiftly. Pray your beauty fades, that you may better serve God."

"Oh, and I do, my lord." Yang said, playing up her penitent act masterfully, "I pray for it all the time. Why, God, did you curse me with this face?"

"God's will has a purpose, but we may not know it." Port said, offering his hand for her to kiss his ring.

Yang took it, but instead of kissing the ring, did a total 180 and mocked him. "Oh, that is lovely." She said, pretending to admire the ring. Port yanked back his hand, and walked away, chanting in a dead language, leaving both women to laugh.

Jaune charged his opponent, lance at the ready. His opponent did the same on the other side. Jaune was the only one to connect, destroying his lance on his opponent's shoulder, while avoiding being hit at all. Sun and Neptune cheered and ran to meet him as he tossed aside his lance and lifted his visor.

"Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein defeats Roger Lord Mortimer, one lance to none!" The Lord's herald called out.

"Easy, boys." Jaune said, hugging his friends, "They'll think it's the first time I've broken a lance."

"But it is Jaune, it is!" Neptune cheered.

"Well, Sir Ulrich has broken thousands of lances."

"Well, come on, Master of a thousand lances." Sun said, putting sarcasm into the title, "You're due in the sword ring in two minutes."

"Hey, my armor's loose."

Outside, Sun and Neptune worked to tighten his armor around his frame by hammering it while he still wore it.

Jaune worked his shoulder and groaned. "If they come overhead, I won't be able to block."

"There's nothing for it. We're overdue as it is." Sun said.

"It's a mistake to do two events." Jaune said. "I don't have time to breathe. I think I should withdraw from the sword."

"But, the sword is your best event." Neptune argued.

"But the prizes are bigger in the joust. The prestige too."

"Ulrich von Lichtenstein?" a man with orange hair covering one eye and a white fur coat said, stepping in front of Jaune.

"Yes." Jaune said warily.

"I am Roman Torchwick." He introduced himself.

"And I'm overdue at the sword arena, so if you'll excuse me." Jaune said, moving around the man until his cane stopped him.

"I'm afraid I must detain you on behalf of your herald." He said with a grin.

"You were never robbed, were you?" Jaune asked a once-again nude Ren. The trio were taken to a tent, where Ren was being kept, under guard by a small girl with heterochromatic eyes and matching pink and brown, back-length hair.

"Look, I have a gambling problem." Ren admitted. "I can't help myself. And these people, they'll...quite literally take the clothes off your back."

"And what do you expect us to do about it?" Jaune asked.

"He assured us that you, his liege, would pay us." Roman said, his little friend circling around Ren with a predatory grin.

"And who are you exactly? Both of you."

"Well, you know my name, and this little one is my protégé, Neo. We are but humble pardoners and purveyors of religious relics."

"And how much does he owe you?"

"Ten gold lien." Roman said with a smile, checking his fingernails.

Jaune's eyes bulged. Ten what? That was more wealth than he had seen in his entire life.

Luckily, Neptune was able to say the words Jaune could not. "You manky git!" he said pulling Ren into a headlock. "What'd I say, huh? Pain! Lots of pain! Remember that?!" he said as he began punching Ren in the head. Sun eventually rolled his eyes and, with Jaune's help, pulled Neptune off the nude man. Jaune turned back to regard his 'herald'.

"What would you do to him if I refused?" he asked Roman, keeping eye contact with Ren.

"We, on behalf of the Lord God, would take it out of his flesh." At the word, Neo drew a thin rapier from her umbrella and ran the flat of it against Ren's back. "So that he may understand that gambling, is a sin." Jaune raised an eyebrow, stating the unspoken question.

"Oh, please, J-" he stopped himself just in time, and took a breath. "Please, just and kind lord, will you help me?" he begged. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I don't have the money." Jaune said. He noticed Neo's smile grow a bit wider and her blade drift a bit lower, to Ren's hips. "Release him." He said, surprising Neo and Ren, "God's sake, give him his clothes back, and you'll get it."

Roman smiled. "Done." He said, snapping his fingers. Neo sheathed her sword and retrieved Ren's clothing.

"You lied." Jaune said, putting back on his head padding and helmet as he hurry-walked to the sword arena.

"Yes, yes, I lied." Ren admitted, pulling his shirt over his head as he walked beside Jaune. "I'm a writer. I give the truth scope. Behold, my lord Ulrich von Lichtenstein!" he called "Son of-"

"Too late." A man said as they neared the arena.

"What?"

"Too late, he's already been announced." The man told him.

"Ooo-kay."

"Sword." Jaune said, turning to Sun as he entered the small, square arena.

Sun handed it to him, and he immediately found use for it as his opponent came at him with a flurry of blows, each of which he blocked. They circled each other for a moment, before his opponent hit him with a one-two combo that threw him off balance, giving him a good shot at Jaune's back. The judge held up a flag indicating a point for the opponent.

Jaune worked his shoulder, feeling it able to move a bit better, as his foe came at him again. He blocked more hits, but an overhand shot allowed him to land a second point.

"Two points for Sir Walter Loring. Sir Ulrich to strike!" the judge yelled over the cheering crowd.

Jaune gave him the same one-two combo used to on him to gain his first point. He then used his frustration to land four more blows. The crowd cheered and Ren jumped the barrier to hold up Jaune's arm in victory. Then, he decided to make up for lost heralding.

"Yes! Behold, my lord Ulrich! The rock! The hard place! Like a wind from Mantle, he sweeps by! Blown far from his homeland in search of glory and honor! We walk in the garden of his turbulence!"

One could almost hear the crickets, not a single person understanding what they had just heard. At least until Sun stepped in.

"Yeah!" he yelled in a deep voice. Almost immediately after, the crowd began cheering again.

'Taking Care of Business' by BTO began playing as a series of Jaune bouts began playing.

He hit a knight in the gut, side-stepping the reprisal, landing another blow on his back, followed by a trick shot backhanded blow on the top of his head, and then another overhand headshot.

On another knight, he struck seven times in the span of three seconds, not giving the man a single chance to think and sending him falling into the corner.

In the lists, he continued to break lances on his opponents' chests and shoulders.

Back in the sword ring, he laid out another foe with a series of body blows until the man finally just dropped his sword and held up his hand, begging Jaune to stop.

"You've done it!" Sun told him, hugging him in the ring, "You're champion!"

"Of the sword." Jaune reminded him.

"Well then, to the lists!"

"Do you wanna touch him?" Ren yelled out, whipping up the crowd, _"Do you wanna touch him?!"_

Jaune's horse whinnied as he charged his latest opponent, the crowd chanting his name. He landed a blow, his lance remaining intact, but so did his opponent, his lance breaking on Jaune's shoulder.

Sun and Neptune physically winced, and ran to make sure their 'lord' was okay.

"We should have saved our last lien for the blacksmith." Jaune joked, examining the break in his armor.

"Look, I can't pay you now, but I promise I will, just as long as- " Jaune said to the black smith who held his breast plate.

"No! Money!" the smithy said, handing him the armor back. Jaune went to another.

"Excuse me."

"Cash only, no promises." He said. Jaune went to another.

"Don't bother." The blacksmith said before Jaune even asked, "Perhaps you should try the rose." He pointed to a familiar pale-skinned girl with red-tipped black hair working at a forge.

"A woman?" Jaune said in disbelief.

"Beggars cannot be choosers, my lord." The man said, pulling a horseshoe from the coals.

Seeing no other choice, Jaune decided to at least try and walked over to her.

"I don't work for free." The girl said before he could ask.

"And I can't joust in broken armor." He argued.

"Your problem, not mine." She said, "Each drop of this sweat has a price on it."

Something about that struck a chord in Jaune and he came up with a plan on the spot. "Well, it's just as well, then. They told me I was daft for even asking." He said innocently as he walked away.

Ruby looked up, stopping mid-hammer strike, "Who?"

Jaune turned around, hiding his smile, while Sun and Neptune looked at him, confused. "Oh, the other armorers." He pointed over his shoulder.

Ruby angrily stuck the metal she was working on in a tub of water, making the metal hiss. "Did they say I couldn't do it because I'm a woman?"

"Uh, no. They said you were great with horseshoes, but crap with armor. The fact you were a woman was never even mentioned." Sun heard this, and immediately turned around to hide his laughter, seeing what Jaune had done, while Neptune was still trying to work it out. Ruby threw her tools onto her work bench, marched up to him and took the breast plate from him.

A few hours later, Yang was watching the joust from the nobles box of the stands in a different dress, a veiled hat covering half her face and Blake sitting next to her. Knights constantly walked past her in full armor, promising to win the tournament for her. Such petty men, every one of them.

"My lady," a thin man in fine clothes and bearing a mohawk said, "May I present, Count Cardin Winchester, winner of the joust in Mistral and high champion at Argus."

Cardin walked up beside him. He was dressed in much finer clothes, all black, and his face was grinning as he looked her up and down, no doubt undressing her in his mind.

"All such moments forgotten," he said smoothly, "When standing before the most beautiful woman in Christendom." He bowed at the waist, making Yang roll her eyes at Blake.

"Do you only pretend to fight, Count Winchester, or do you wage real war as well?" she asked politely.

Cardin leaned against a post in front of her, surprisingly maintaining eye-contact rather than staring at her chest as most men did. "Well, I am leader of the Free Companies." He said casually, "My army is currently in southern Vale, awaiting deployment."

Jaune walked up in his newly repaired armor and saw Yang in the stands. "Ren, it's her." He told the raven-haired man as Sun and Neptune walked past, getting everything ready for Jaune's next bout.

Ren looked where Jaune was looking and his eyes widened. "Jaune, I think you're aiming too high."

"Well, if there's another way to aim, I don't know it."

"Concentrate." Sun growled at him.

"What should I say to her?" Jaune asked Ren, ignoring Sun. Ren thought about it for a minute, then whispered into his friend's ear.

"What do you think of the joust?" Cardin asked, keeping the conversation rolling.

Yang rolled her eyes. The guy just wouldn't take a hint, and not in a good way. "It's very abrupt, and I'm afraid I don't understand the rules." She did, of course. She wasn't stupid. She had sat through more than enough tournaments in her time to figure the rules through simple observation, not that any man cared to hear that.

Cardin smiled and took a seat next to her. "Then allow me to educate you. A match is three lances. One point is awarded for breaking a lance on a man between the waist and neck, two points for breaking on the helmet. It's difficult, the helmet sweeps back, so most blows glance off, leaving the lance whole. But it can be done, with enough skill. Finally, three points for knocking a rider from his horse. Additionally, should you unseat your foe, you win his horse."

"And do men die in the joust?" Yang asked, playing up her feigned interest.

"The lances are tipped with coronals, thereby blunting them." Cardin explained. "Of course, accidents happen. I myself, Yang, have never been unhorsed."

"Nor have I." Yang joked, and she smiled when Cardin's confusion showed through.

"You name, lady." Jaune said as he rode up in full armor, save for his helm, "I still need to hear it."

Yang chuckled. Now this was an enjoyable kind of persistence. "Sir Hunter, you are stubborn, aren't you?"

"Perhaps." Jaune shrugged, "Or perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces."

Cardin grew quite annoyed when he saw the genuine smile on Yang's face. "And you are?" he asked.

"Well, I am, um..."

"Have you forgotten? Or perhaps your name is Sir Um." Those around him chuckled at his cruel joke.

Jaune frowned. "I am Ulrich von Lichtenstein from Mantle."

"Well, I'd forget as well. What a mouthful. And your armor, sir."

"What about it?"

"How stylish of you to joust in an antique. You'll start a new fashion if you win. My grandfather will be able to wear his in public again." More laughter. "And a shield. How quaint." He smiled when Jaune rode off angrily, the humiliated man's only solace being a complete lack of laughter from Yang. "Some of these poor country knights, I swear. Little better than peasants."

"Second son of Sir Wallace Percival, third Earl of Warrick." A brown-haired, mustachioed herald announced, "My lords, my ladies, it is with honor I introduce my liege, Sir Thomas Colville." He gestured to a knight in fine grey plate armor riding a white horse.

"Ha ha, you're good." Ren said, taking the man's place. "You're very good. My lords, my ladies," he bowed to the nobles, "And everybody else here NOT sitting on a cushion!" he addressed the masses, eliciting even greater cheers. "Today, you find yourselves equals!" murmurs sprung up throughout the nobility and more cheers from the peasantry. "For you are all equally blessed. For I have the pride, the privilege, nay, the pleasure! Of introducing to you, a knight sired by knights. A knight who can trace his lineage back, beyond Ozma himself.

"I first met him atop a mountain, praying to God, asking his forgiveness for the Mistrali blood spilt by his sword. Next, he amazed me still further, in Menagerie, when he saved a fatherless Faunus beauty from the would-be ravishings of her dreadful Vacuan uncle." The crowd cheered for Jaune and booed the would-be rapist. Ren shivered for emphasis, "In Mistral, he spent a year in silence, just to better understand the sound of a whisper.

Seeing he had them, he brought it all home, "And so, without further gilding the lily, and no more ado, I give to you, the Seeker of Serenity, the Protector of Faunus Virginity, the Enforcer of Our Lord God, the one, the only, Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein!" the crowds cheered and stamped their feet, while the nobles clapped with barely contained enthusiasm, led by Yang. "Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all week!" Ren said, running over to his 'lord'.

"Well, that was different." Sun commented.

"Well, it's about time we celebrated our differences." Ren said, ignoring the holes Neptune was glaring into his face.

"Just maybe not in public."

"Yeah." Neptune agreed.

"Yes, yes, I know, Master Neptune." Ren drawled, "A good fonging, right?"

"Oh yeah. Oh yeah."

Jaune climbed up onto his horse, and took the helm from Sun. "Alright, I've won their attention. Now you go out and win their hearts." Ren said.

The two knights charged each other, breaking their lances on each other's shoulders, Cardin, Yang and their attendants watching and analyzing them the whole time.

"Very good." Ren commented as Jaune came around for the next go.

"Did she see me?" he asked eagerly.

"Yeah, course she saw you."

"Did she see me take the hit?"

"Yeah, she saw you take the hit."

"Did she seem upset at all?"

"It was dreadful. Her eyes welled up. Tears stained her face. Very unattractive."

After the second pass, Cardin spoke up.

"Colville has perfect technique." He stated. "I've never seen him before.

"Nor I." Russel agreed. "But this Lichtenstein... His technique is rudimentary. Style, nonexistent. But he is fearless."

"Fearless? How so?" Yang asked.

"The slit in a helmet's visor is narrow, but splinters can penetrate it." Cardin explained, "Most knights raise their chins at the last moment. You lose sight of your opponent, but you protect your eyes. This Sir Ulrich does not."

Yang smiled in understanding. "He keeps his eye on the target. A true hunter." She whispered the last to Blake, who grinned.

As Jaune and Sir Colville passed each other in the lists, Colville motioned for him to stop. He opened part of his visor, revealing a single blue eye and pale skin.

"Sir Ulrich." He said, his voice pained, "I'm through. But, um, I've never not finished before. I wish to keep my honor intact."

Jaune nodded his agreement, knowing what would come next. On the next pass, both men prepared to charge, but instead trotted across the field, saluting each other as they passed. As they did, Colville's herald hung a white flag over his lord's shield.

"A draw." Russel said in surprise, "And Colville is hurt." He pointed out when he saw Colville struggling to stay on his horse, so much so that his squires were practically holding him up.

"Colville withdraws." Cardin said, a little frustrated. "Ulrich advances. Why not finish him?"

"He shows mercy." Yang said.

Cardin scoffed, "Then he shows his weakness. That's all mercy is."

That night, Jaune was completely unable to sleep. All his thoughts were with the beauty he had met that day.

Sun groaned as he sighed again. "For Victory's sake, Jaune go the hell to sleep."

"I can't." Jaune said, lying on his back, "Love has given me wings, so I must fly. I can't explain it; she makes me feel like a poet."

"Well, you may feel like a poet, but you sound like an idiot." Sun said. Neptune's feet moved between their heads, showing his agitation. "You don't even know her name."

"Her name? Her name... is Aphrodite." He said, calling upon one of the Classical goddesses of love, "Calypso. Venus. Take you pick." Neptune babbled loudly.

Sun rolled over and propped himself up on one arm, looking at Jaune. "Women weaken the heart." He told him. Jaune craned his neck back to look at him. "Without your heart, you can't win." He laid back down.

"Oh, but her eyes- "

"Concentrate."

"Tansy cakes!" Neptune said, sitting upright and holding a small knife. "Where?" he asked, half-asleep.

"Count Winchester sends word." Blake told Yang in her chambers, "He says he will win this tournament for you."

"He has won many tournaments." Yang scoffed, "He wins them for himself and for his own honor, so it's nothing to say he wins them for me."

"He wishes to speak to you again."

"Not to hear a word I say." Yang sighed, "Winchester wants his women silent. And loose more likely than not."

A thought occurred to Blake and a playful smile spread over he face. "Would you have Sir Ulrich win this tournament for you, then?"

"No." Yang said faster than she meant to. She saw Blake's smile and spoke plainly, "And he is the only knight that has not promised to do so. Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein. I would have him win my heart." She smiled at the thought, and dismissed it a moment later as impossible. Such a man was rare indeed, and she did not yet know for certain if Ulrich was such a man.

The next day, the lists chanted Cardin's name as he was led onto the field by his Russel, his herald, apparently. He and his black horse were covered in black plate armor.

"Oh, lovely." Neptune said sarcastically.

"Count Winchester," Jaune said to Sun, "I don't think I've ever seen him lose."

"No, but defeat him, and you'll see it first hand." Sun said as he tightened a few of the straps on Jaune's armor.

"My liege." Ren said, walking up with Blake beside him. When Jaune didn't respond, he tapped on Jaune's breastplate. "Sir Ulrich, Blake Belladonna."

"My lady bids you wear this token." She said, handing him a silk cloth with Yang's burning heart symbol on it.

"Of course." Jaune said, eagerly and gingerly taking the cloth from her.

"She also said to tell you, her name is Yang." Blake spared a small glance at Sun before she left, leaving both men stunned silent for different reasons.

Ren reached out and closed Sun's open mouth, the clicking of his teeth snapping him back.

"Concentrate." Sun growled, more at himself than at Jaune.

The two men readied themselves for the bout, Jaune having stowed Yang's token under his armor for luck. The stared each other down, waiting for the flag to lift. When it did, they charged each other, lances at the ready. They met and broke their lances on each other's chests.

"I can't breathe." Jaune said as his horse was brought back to the start and Sun took the broken lance.

Cardin was doing no better as Russel pulled a blood-stained spike from under his shoulder. "No style whatsoever." He panted, throwing the bloodied wood to the ground. "Neither has an anvil."

Jaune groaned as he could feel air filling his lungs. "Good Lord, he hits like a hammer, it's amazing."

"But not perfect." Sun said. He had been watching the bout, analyzing Cardin's technique to come up with a counter. "He aims high on your chest. Roll your shoulder back when you strike. His blow may glance to your right." So long as the blow didn't make the lance break, it was a strategic win.

"Yeah, if he strikes me on the right, but if he strikes my left I'll be obliterated."

"Well, I didn't say it wasn't a gamble." Sun said.

On the next pass, Jaune did just as Sun said, and it paid off perfectly. Jaune's lance exploded on Cardin's chest, while Cardin's remained intact. Sun and Neptune cheered along with the crowd, even Yang joined in and Ruby watched with a small smile.

Neptune blew a raspberry at Cardin as he and Sun ran to bring Jaune back to the start. Cardin looked up and saw his unbroken, fist-tipped lance, the scorekeeper awarding a point to Jaune and the crowd cheering his name, or at least his assumed one. His face darkened as he threw his visor back into place.

Jaune readied himself for the final bout, putting his visor back in place and taking a lance from Neptune. Then he noticed that Cardin was not at his point, and the flag bearer was ready to start the match. Had he given-

His musings were interrupted when Cardin came charging around the corner into the arena. He was trying to gain extra momentum for his last charge, looking for any advantage possible. The flag bearer, knowing what was best for him, started the match immediately. Not having any other option, Jaune kicked his horse into as high a gear as it could go and charged, Yang's favor flapping out behind his armor like a small yellow cape.

The men met, and lances broke, Jaune's upon Cardin's chest and Cardin's upon Jaune's head. He hit with such force that Jaune's helm was ripped from his head. Jaune's vision went white and a memory played before him.

A young blonde boy with long hair ran to a cheering crowd, looking for a way in.

"Jaune! Jaune!" he heard his father call from within the crowd. He managed to find a break in the crowd and forced his way to his father, who was standing near a stockade. He was a bear of a man, six feet tall with broad shoulders, brown hair and green eyes. "Jaune! Over here!" Jaune ran up to him, and Joseph lifted him up onto the stockade so he could see the procession of knights that were to compete soon.

Jaune was amazed by all the different men in polished armor, riding mighty steeds, their squires proudly holding their lord's banners aloft.

"Someday, I'll be a knight." He declared.

The prisoner in the stocks beneath him scoffed. "A thatcher's son? A knight? You might as well try to change the stars." He chuckled.

"Can it be done, father?" Jaune asked, "Can a man change the stars?"

Joseph looked him dead in the eye and smiled. "Yes, Jaune. If a man believes enough, he can do anything."

His horse whinnying brought Jaune back from his reverie and he remembered the position he was in. His body slumped back and he dropped his lance, his mind focused solely on keeping himself on his horse. Sun and Neptune quickly ran to his side, ignoring his helm and lance, and the token Blake had given them laying on the ground. Recognizing it, Cardin circled around and picked it up with the tip of his broken lance.

He walked up to Jaune with a smug grin. "Gain more bearing Ulrich. See me again when you're worthy." Jaune glared at him, but didn't have the strength to do much else. Neptune on the other hand, had no such impediment. He ran after Cardin, growling threats at him and prepared to jump over the dividing fence until Ren pushed him off.

"Well done, my lord. Well done." he said, clapping.

"What the hell, man?!" Neptune yelled, pulling himself up.

"Go and see to Ulrich." Ren said calmly, pointing to Jaune and glaring at Neptune, _Let me handle this_ , his eyes saying. As Neptune returned to his 'lord', Ren continued the act.

Cardin walked up alongside the noble seats, stopping in front of Yang and Blake. "My Lady, I believe this is yours." He said, holding out Yang's token. She took it with a glare and calmly walked off, Blake quick behind her.

Half an hour later, Jaune stood next to Cardin on the field as the prizes were handed out.

"For the long spear on foot, Pandolfo Malatesta." A herald proclaimed. A short-haired blonde knight stepped forward and was handed a small gold chest by a noble lady.

"For sword on foot, Ulrich von Lichtenstein." The crowd cheered loudly as Jaune stepped forward and was handed a golden statue of a man on horseback.

"And finally, for the mounted joust and tournament champion, Cardin Winchester, Count of Anjou." Cardin stepped forward with a smug grin as the crowd cheered and chanted his name, and took a golden crown of leaves.

"Next time I face you, Count Winchester," Jaune said as the champions waved to the crowd of nobles, "You will look up at me from the flat of your back."

"Please," Cardin scoffed, "You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting.

Jaune turned and walked back to his friends, who showered him with congratulations.

"Keep winning the sword and we'll be rich." Sun said with a laugh.

"I won't compete in the sword again." Jaune said.

"But it's your best event." Ren protested.

"No, it's tournament champion or nothing at all."

Later that day, their company was visited by Roman and Neo. Jaune used a hatchet to break off the rider portion of his statue and handed it to Roman, who gave it to Neo. "There, ten gold lien. That should do."

"It's sixes and sevens tonight, Ren." Roman said with a grin, "You feeling lucky? Do you even have enough clothes?" Neo put her finger to her chin and grinned as she looked Ren up and down, undressing him in her mind.

"Go on, I'm done with you." Ren said, but as the pair turned to leave, he added, "Except to exact my revenge."

"And what could you possibly do to us?" Roman asked indulgently.

"I will eviscerate you in fiction." Ren said, speaking the truth, "Every last pimple, every last character flaw. I was naked for a day. You two will be naked forever."

Neo laughed silently, while Roman glared at the raven-haired Mistrali. "Something tells me we'll see you again someday." Roman said, before leading Neo away.

"Here, Rose, take what we owe you." Jaune said, handing Ruby the remainder of the trophy.

"The armor you wear," Ruby said, "It wasn't made for you, was it?"

"And what if it's not?" Jaune said with a frown.

Ruby's eyes lit up in hope. "I could make such armor, you wouldn't know you wore it."

"And how much would that cost me?"

Ruby shrugged. "Just take me as far as Mistral City."

"We travel alone." Jaune said, not even considering the question. "Take your gold and go."

Ruby's face darkened in a frown. She hit the statue against a piece of Jaune's armor, knocking off the head and tossed the remainder to him. Jaune sighed as she left. He didn't like talking to someone like that, but he couldn't take any more risks, not after what happened with Ren.

"Get what you can out of that." He said, tossing the broken statue to Sun. "The rest of us will pack up camp."

"Why are we leaving so soon?" Neptune asked.

"The tournament at Higanbana starts in a week." Jaune said as he began packing the wagon, "If we leave now, we can walk most of the way there and save the horse."

"No, you have to go to the banquet tonight." Ren said, taking out the saddle Jaune had just loaded into the wagon. "You have to dance, you have to make an appearance."

"Oh, and have Cardin laugh at me again? No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"NO!"

Sun coughed. "My lord?" Jaune turned to see Blake standing before him.

Blake smiled to contain her laughter. "My lady would know the color of your lord's tunic tonight."

"His tunic?" Sun asked, confused.

"Yes." Blake said, sensing the confusion, "So that she can dress to match him."

"Er, we regret to inform your lady that we won't actually be attending- "

"Herald, do not answer questions you do not know the answer to." Jaune said, quickly shutting Ren up.

"Absolutely, my lord." Ren said, hiding his smile at having gotten his way.

"Squire, answer her. What, uh, color is my tunic tonight?"

Sun's mind raced. Not only did he hate being put on the spot like this, but it was in front of a woman who was hotter than any woman he had ever seen before. And she was a Faunus! Can you say bonus points? He looked behind Blake, saw the tent they had been using and a plan immediately came to him. "Uh, green. Um, trimmed in a kind of... pale green. With, uh, wooden toggles."

"I will tell my lady." Blake assured them before curtsying and leaving.

"Oh my God, this is a disaster!" Jaune groaned when she was out of ear-shot.

"Nah, it'll make for a fine tunic." Sun assured him, taking Neptune's dagger from his belt.

"No, no, it's not that." Jaune said. His friends looked to him. "I don't know how to dance."

Later that day, the quartet were in the stables, Sun sitting on a barrel as he made Jaune's tunic while Ren was using Neptune to help teach Jaune how to dance, keeping cadence with a wooden staff he was hitting on another barrel.

"And one, and two, and three, and four," he said, calling out the beats, "And your hands should alight, like a birdie on a branch." He slapped their hands apart for failing. "And one, and two, and three, and four, and Nep doesn't lead, he follows like a girl." Sun looked up from his work. Neptune looked at him, then to Jaune, who shrugged, then back to Ren who he punched in the face.

"Neptune, I think we're even from earlier." Ren said.

"Agreed." Neptune said with a grin.

"Aaaand one, and two," Ren began again, the staff behind his head holding up his arms and a piece of cloth stuck up one nostril. It was later that day, just before dusk, and the boys were still at it. Jaune and Neptune were still failing miserably to try and dance with Ren leading them, while Sun was having much more success in sewing a tunic together from scratch.

"And you're still getting it wrong." Ren prodded Neptune as he and Jaune argued about who was actually wrong. "You can hit me all day, cuz punch like a what?"

"A girl!" Sun said.

"Alright that is it!" Neptune yelled before everyone started arguing again. It only stopped when they noticed Ruby approaching them.

"Wow." She said with a laugh.

"Oh, and you can do better, can you?" Ren said.

"Yup." Ruby said confidently.

"Good, why don't you show us then?" Jaune said, almost pleaded.

"No." Ruby said with a vindictive smile.

"No." Jaune said in defeat.

"Hey, if I'm going to all this trouble, you had best learn to dance." Sun said, "Alright? Ask her properly."

Jaune sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I was wondering if you would care to show us how to dance."

"Please." Sun reminded him.

"Please." Jaune and Neptune repeated.

"You know my price." Ruby said with a smug smile.

A half hour later, Ruby had the three men dancing like they had been doing it their whole lives. Sun had finished his work on Jaune's tunic and was looking it over for any last-minute touches.

"You're not gonna wear your hair like that, are ya?" Ruby asked as they continued practicing.

"Is there another way?" Jaune asked genuinely, making her laugh.

That night, a servant led Jaune into a massive feasting hall filled with people and food. Soon enough, he ran into Yang, who was wearing a lime green dress that complimented her hair, which was done up in a wild fashion.

"Sir Ulrich," She smiled, "You look fantastic."

Jaune took a seat next to her. "Yang, you look... you, uh... you remind me of the Bible." Yang's smile fell a little into confusion. "When God stopped the sun in the sky at Gibeon to give Joshua more time to defeat the Amorites."

Yang chuckled. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I half the time, honestly." Jaune laughed with her. "But, if I could ask God one thing, it would be to stop the moon. Stop the moon and make this night, and your beauty, last forever."

"So, what dance will you have? A courante? Or a basse dance?" a man asked the assembled guests after they had eaten.

"Sir Ulrich." Cardin called from the back, "Why don't you show us all a dance of your country? Show us a dance of Mantle." The audience muttered in agreement, putting him on the spot.

"Uh, well, it's, it's a lot like the farandole, but with some differences." He thought fast as he could. 'Improvise, Jaune.' He thought to himself, 'It's gotten you this far. Hopefully nobody here has actually been to Mantle.'

"So, uh, first, you'll want to bow." He bowed deeply, and the audience mimicked him. He returned and stepped forward, crossing his left arm over his stomach, then took another and did the same with his right. The audience started laughing at him when he repeated the motions. Thankfully Yang stepped in and saved him, somehow realizing he was basically winging everything. Their bluff held, and soon all the dancers were joining in, the dance evolving the longer it went on. Jaune grinned as he and Yang began dancing with each other alone, rather than with other partners or as a group and he grinned even wider when he saw the look of disappointment on Cardin's face at his plan failing spectacularly.

While Jaune danced, and the boys slept, Ruby was busy working on a new suit of armor for Jaune. She worked through the night, finishing up with just enough time to catch an hour's worth of sleep before she met with the knight and his company.

The armor was minimalist at first glance, a breast plate, pauldrons, plating for his upper and lower arms, elbows, and faulds. Jaune moved around in it, testing it out, while Sun, Ren and Neptune remained silent.

"What?" Ruby said, annoyed by the silence broken only by creaking armor plates.

"Uh... I don't know. It's too small." Jaune said, trying to be honest. "Too light."

"He'll be crushed. Killed." Neptune said.

"No, he won't." Ruby said with a sigh, "This guy by the name of Ironwood showed me a new way to heat the steel. It's thinner and smaller, yes, but just as strong."

"What's this?" Sun said, pointing to an engraving on the back of the gorget in the shape of a stylized rose.

"The mark of my trade. Should another knight admire the armor." The boys chuckled at her. Ruby rolled her eyes. "Twist, bend. Feel the movement."

"Well, I..." Jaune said, trying it out. It was far easier to move in, no doubts there, but the fact it felt so light worried him. "But eventually I will be struck."

"And then death." Neptune persisted.

Ruby sighed. "Do you at least have the courage to test it?"

A few minutes later, Ruby and Sun ran at Jaune, pushing a wooden beam at him like a battering ram, while Jaune stood there and took the hit. Upon impact, Jaune was thrown backwards into a pile of straw-filled bags.

"Are you alright, Jaune?" Sun asked, running up to him.

Jaune got into a sitting position and laughed. "I didn't feel a thing!"

Tournament grounds

Higanbana

One week later

The other knights openly laughed at Jaune as he walked through the tournament grounds to the jousting arena in his new armor. Jaune weathered it all with a sarcastic smile on his face. Their laughter was soon cut short when Jaune mounted his horse without assistance. Jaune looked back at them with a smug grin before looking across the field to his opponent, who was struggling just to get into the saddle.

"What's the name of that knight?" he asked Sun.

"Piers Courtenay." Sun told him, "He's raised the taxes on his land three times this year to pay for tournament."

"His people starve while he sits at banquet." Neptune said as he handed Jaune his helm, adding fuel to the fire of Jaune's righteous indignation. He then leaned under the horse's neck. "It's probably true." He whispered to Sun, who winked at him knowingly.

The flag lifted and the knights charged at each other, Sun and Neptune egging on Jaune's horse. They neared each other, lances lowered. Yang watched from the noble crowd as Jaune broke his lance on Courtenay's shoulder without allowing his foe to land a blow. The impact was so great that Courtenay's horse reared back and fell into the dividing fence. The crowd cheered at the one-hit finish, chanting Jaune's alias.

"Ulrich von Lichtenstein." Yang said, impressed with his performance.

"My lord, the Count Winchester," Russel said, announcing Cardin, "Son of Sir John the Hammer, son Gilles... uh..." he stumbled as a flash of light crossed over his face, "Master of the Free Companies," the light flashed over his face multiple times as Ren reflected the sun off a small gold plate he had found, intentionally messing him up, "Defender of his... enormous manhood. A shining example of chivalry and... champagne." He bowed gracefully, and the crowd clapped, the women in the crowd cackling at him.

"Watch every move he makes." Sun said as the other herald introduced Cardin's opponent. "If there's a weakness, we'll find it."

"Well, Colville looks fit." Jaune commented, "This should be good, at any rate."

What they didn't notice was Russel talking to a man in finery, then looking to Colville in what appeared to be horror. He sent a man back over to Cardin, who listened to him. He then nodded to Russel, who quickly rolled out a white flag and placed it over Cardin's shield, making the crowd boo.

Shocked, Jaune and company went under the beam they were leaning on to get a better look.

"Cardin withdrew." Jaune said.

"A withdrawal like that can only mean one thing." Sun said.

"Royalty." Neptune said, looking to Colville, who saluted Cardin before allowing his horse to be led out of the arena.

"I'll see what I can find out." Ren said, walking off.

A few minutes later, the shields were being changed, putting Jaune's in place of Cardin's, and a herald was readying for the start. However, Ren was pleading with him to wait.

"Please, wait. I must speak with my lord." He said.

"Then go." The herald said sharply. As Ren ran over to Jaune, he added, "And see if you can beat the Second Coming, huh?"

"Wait! Wait!" Ren yelled as he came up to Jaune, who was already set to compete. "Colville is Whitley Schnee, the White Prince of Attika, and future king of Vale." He panted.

"Then he's in disguise like me so he can compete." Jaune reasoned, looking over to the man. Now that he thought about it, the portion of face he had seen was very spot-on for the near-legendary features of the royal family; pale skin, icy-blue eyes, he even remembered thinking that he had seen a wisp of snow-white hair.

"He has never met an enemy without victory, he has never attacked a town he could not defeat." Ren said.

"We're Valean, Ren, we know who he is." Neptune said.

"You have to withdraw." Sun said, "Ren, go tell them."

Ren ran off to drop the flag, while Neptune struggled to get the lance from Jaune's hand. However, Jaune had other ideas, and kicked his horse into a gallop. Whitley saw this and smiled.

"Lance!" he yelled, closing up his helm. He took it and kicked his own white steed into a charge. Jaune's company watched in horror as the two ran at each other, their lances breaking upon the other's chest.

"The match is a draw!" the tournament herald called, waving a flag.

"Oh my God." Ren said as he dropped the white flag he had just unfurled. He met Jaune as he was crossing back over to his starting position. "Are you insane? You willingly endangered a member of the royal family!"

"He willingly endangers himself." Jaune said back as Whitley walked up.

"Well fought, Sir Ulrich, as it was in Shion." Whitley said, keeping his helm sealed up.

"And you also, Prince Whitley."

Knowing the jig was up, Whitley took off his helm, revealing messy white hair, pale skin, and deep blue eyes. The crowd gasped, and the nobles muttered to each other.

"You knew me." He stated with a grin. Jaune nodded. "And still you rode?"

"It's not in me to withdraw." Jaune admitted.

"No, nor me. Though it happens."

"Yes, it does."

Whitley smiled indulgently. "Good luck with the tournament."

"And you as well." The two saluted each other and walked off, Klein announcing Whitley's withdrawal.

"The winner of the mounted joust, and tournament champion, Ulrich von Lichtenstein." The tournament herald proclaimed, handing Jaune a golden horn. Jaune, who was currently dressed in padding and simple clothes, took it with a bow and walked off.

"Here," he handed the reward to sun, "Melt it, sell it, whatever you do."

"Yes, your majesty." Sun said with a grin.

"Come on, Jaune, smile. Your tournament champion!" Neptune said.

"Not until I defeat Cardin." Jaune said. "Cardin withdrew."

"Sir Ulrich." Yang said, catching up to him. Blake was not by her side, having stopped at the foot of the stairs and started talking with Sun. "I've come to see what you'll wear to banquet tonight."

"Nothing." Jaune replied. He was in no mood for things like banquets, and hoped she would get the hint. If she did, she chose to ignore it.

"Well then, we'll cause a sensation, for I'll dress to match." She said with a grin.

"Oh, don't you ever get tired of putting on clothes?" Jaune said, dropping any pretense at politeness.

"Uh, I believe she's talking about taking them off, my lord." Ren whispered into his ear, only for Jaune to shove him away.

"Well, a flower is only as good as its petals, don't you agree?" Yang asked, a little hurt.

"A flower is good for nothing." Jaune said.

"Really?" Luckily, the rest of the companions saw where this was headed and stayed far back enough to be out of the inevitable blast wave, but still listen in.

"Well, you can't eat a flower. A flower doesn't keep you warm."

"And a rose never knocked a man off a horse, did it?"

Jaune's frustration boiled over and got the better of him. "You're just a silly girl, aren't you?" Even Blake and Sun's conversation stopped at that.

Yang's face hardened and her smile disappeared. "Better a silly girl with a flower, than a silly boy with a horse and a stick." She said and walked off. Blake bowed to Sun and followed her, but not without looking back at him and smiling.

"It's called a lance! Hello?" Neptune said, trying to give Jaune the last word.

Kuroyuri

Two weeks later

Jaune charged his second knight of the day. While he managed to land a blow on the man's shoulder, his opponent hesitated and his attack missed completely. He paid for his hesitation with falling from his saddle and to insult to injury, his foot got caught in the stirrup and he was dragged along the ground as his horse carried on at full speed.

Ruby and Neptune ran up to help Jaune down from his horse, Ruby taking the reins, while Neptune took the lance. As he dismounted, Ren ran up.

"I have word." He said.

"What?" Jaune said as he took off his helm.

"Winchester's been called back to the Free Companies." Ren said, "The White Prince commanded it. He could be gone all season."

"First Yang, now Cardin?" Neptune said aloud.

Jaune screamed his anger and threw his helm to the ground, even scaring the horse as he stormed off the field.

"Well done, idjit." Ruby said.

"Well done, indeed." Ren agreed.

"What?" Neptune said in his best Gavin Free impression.

Northern Front

Battle of Argus

Cardin leaned over a table covered in maps in a military camp. Russel came up from behind him, carrying bundles of papers in his hands.

"Tournament results, my lord." He said. Cardin told him to put them off to the side as he considered the map again. He looked to the top paper and saw the shield of the tournament champion: Ulrich von Lichtenstein. He looked back to Russel who was making a face that said he wouldn't like the results.

He turned to the next page. "Ulrich." He said. He turned to the next page. "Ulrich." The next page. "Ulrich. Ulrich. Ulrich. Ulrich. Ulrich." Jaune had won every tournament he had been in since Cardin had left. Cardin considered the implications and didn't like them. Ulrich was getting better, gaining glory, fame and prestige, while he stood in the mud and mire of the battlefield, gaining nothing. He looked to Russel once more and drew a dagger from his belt, holding it backwards in his hand. He simmered for a moment before driving the dagger into the papers in his fury.

"Ren."

"Jaune."

"I need to write a letter." Jaune said, pacing around the interior of the barn the company were rooming in, holding a rose in his hand. "Dear Yang- no, My dearest Yang."

"Better." Ren commented, writing it down.

"Um, I miss you." Jaune started before Ren winced audibly. "What? Was that wrong?"

"Well, it's up to you really. It's your funeral- letter, I mean."

"Say something about her breasts." Neptune suggested, to which Sun agreed.

"Her breasts?" Jaune asked, directing the question to Ren.

"Uh, yes, you could, but, um, I would tend to look above her breasts, Jaune." Ren replied.

Jaune thought for a moment. "I miss her neck?"

"Uh, little bit higher." Ren said as Ruby struggled to hold in her laughter. "More towards the heavens, really."

"The moon at least." Ruby commented. "Her tits weren't really that impressive."

"The moon?" Jaune clarified. "The moon... It is strange to think..." he began, "I haven't seen you since a month. I have seen the new moon, but not you. I have seen sunsets and sunrises, but nothing of your beautiful face."

"That's very good, Jaune." Ren said as he finished writing.

"I used to know this girl once." Sun said, "Admittedly, she broke my heart, but I used to say that the pieces...

"The pieces of my broken heart are so small that they can be passed through the eye of a needle." Yang said, reading Jaune letter aloud, Neptune standing behind her. "He writes as though I had died."

"Yes, Madam." Neptune said, "He dies as well."

"She used to cook for the Duke of Kingsport." Neptune said, adding his own story to the discussion. "I miss her like the sun misses the flower." He said before crying a bit.

"I miss you like the sun misses the flower." Yang read aloud, making Neptune grin. "Like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter. Instead of beauty to direct its light to, the heart hardens like the frozen world your absence has banished me to."

"I next compete in the city of Mistral." Jaune narrated, "I'll find it empty and in the winter if you're not there."

"I like it." Ren said. "And now to finish it." Everyone turned to Ruby.

"With hope." She said with a smile. "Love should end with hope. My mother, God rest her, told me something I'll never forget. 'Hope guides me.'"

"It is what gets me through the day and especially the night." Yang read, "The hope that when you're gone from my sight, it will not be the last time I look upon you." She sniffed and Neptune was gentleman enough to offer her a handkerchief.

"And finish it with," Jaune said, "With all the love I possess, Jaune."

"You mean Ulrich." Ren said looking up at him. Jaune's smile faded at that realization.

"With all the love I possess, I remain yours, the knight of your heart." Yang read. She rolled the letter and held it close, a tear running down her cheek.

Neptune knew what he had to do next, but it just felt like such a mood-breaker. "Um, my master had hoped you would have something to send him in return."

Mistral

Ren had just entered Jaune into the joust and was walking over to him. He was admiring the decorations, particularly the dragon in his green and gold colors.

"No Cardin." Ren reported.

Jaune sighed. "Then no Cardin. Let's just hope that- "

"Whoo-hoo!" Neptune yelled as he came riding up on his horse. And it was _his_ horse. Jaune had knocked so many knights from their horses that each member of the company had one, as well as a few spares to carry the wagon and one solely for competition.

"Nep." Jaune smiled and walked up to him. A stable hand took the horse from Neptune, who winked at her roguishly. "Tell me everything. Did you see her? Did she read the letter?"

"Yes, and yes." He answered.

"And?" Jaune asked, eyes wide in anticipation.

Neptune's grin fell and he looked down. "Um..." Jaune's face fell as well. "She's coming to Mistral!"

"Ah! You blue-haired son of a bitch!" Jaune laughed along with Neptune. "Well, did she give you anything for me in return? A letter or, or a token?"

Neptune genuinely looked visibly upset now. He looked around, saw no one was looking and then kissed Jaune full on the mouth. Neptune spat on the ground and looked back to Jaune, who was standing stock still and wide-eyed.

"Yes!" he yelled, as the implications sunk in. "Hell yes!" he continued to jump around and cheer like a loon for several minutes more, his male companions looking disquieted, while Ruby laughed openly.

Later that day, Sun, Neptune, and Ruby sat around a table in a tavern having a few well-earned drinks as Ren spoke to some men who appeared to be Mistral natives. He walked back over to their table and sat down between Sun and Ruby.

"Alright, the wager they're proposing is that a Mistrali and not Sir Ulrich will win the tournament." He informed them. "However, the amount is fifty lien."

"That's all we got." Ruby said.

"Yes, and if we had 60, the bet would be 60."

"Even money, but Ulrich against every Mistrali knight here?" Sun asked, being the responsible one.

"Come on, Sun, he's won four tournaments in a row and once again, Winchester isn't here."

"I checked the shields too, Ren. John Beaumont, Count Theobald of Argus, Philip of Haven, all three Mistrali champions."

One of the Mistralian stood up. "A Valean will not win this Mistrali tournament." He said, clearly drunk. "Valean legs are unsteady on Mistrali soil." His friends laughed at his poor joke.

Ren and Neptune yelled at them to shut up until Sun reigned them in.

"Come on, Sun. It's a good bet." Neptune urged. "Win and I can buy my own tavern."

"I could write full time." Ren pleaded.

"And a new forge for me." Ruby said calmly, the shine in her eyes betraying her.

"Yes, and because Mistrali wine is too much for Valean bellies." One of the other natives taunted.

Neptune stood angrily. "Look, you, I'm about this fucking close. I swear to God, you Nikos wannabe-"

Sun pulled him back down. "Listen, all I want is to go home, and I already have enough to make that trip 100 times."

"And most importantly, because the Pope himself is Mistralian!" the third native said with a flourish.

Apparently, this was too much for Sun, who stood up himself. "Yeah? Well the Pope maybe Mistralian, but Jesus is Valean. You're on!"

"Yeah!" the company shouted before launching into a song they had cooked up over the months, " _He's blonde! He's pissed! He'll see you in the lists! Lichtenstein! Lichtenstein!_

_He's blonde! He's tan! He comes from frozen land!"_

Meanwhile, Jaune was dressed in fine clothes and was entering a massive cathedral.

Yang looked at her reflection in a bowl of holy water. "Do you think he'll come?" she asked Blake, who dipped a pair of fingers in the water to bless herself.

"As sure as the sun will rise." Blake replied as Yang did the same and walked off into the cathedral.

Jaune entered a scant few seconds later and immediately saw Yang's mane of golden hair. He saw the bowl of holy water and, rather than bless himself with it, dunked his hands in and ran the water through his hair to straighten it out. He walked up behind Yang, bowing to Blake when she noticed him first. "You favor cathedrals." He said, gaining Yang's attention.

"I come for confession." She replied flatly. "And the glass. A riot of color in a dreary, gray world. Don't you think?"

"It's beautiful." Jaune replied. He honestly didn't care, things like aesthetics being completely lost on him, but it seemed the right answer.

Yang turned and smiled at him. "I feel the same about the letter you sent." Jaune chuckled nervously, wondering if he should tell her the full story. "Speak to me. Speak those words."

"I'm going to win this tournament for you." He said instead.

Yang's smile fell. "Excuse me?"

"The tournament. I'll win it in your name. Every knight I defeat, I defeat for you. The... Your beauty will be reflected in the power of my arm, the flanks of my horse."

"Wow." Yang said with a false smile, "Really?"

"Yes."

"Really? Its flanks?"

"Yes." Jaune replied, not knowing what he was doing wrong.

"I wish to hear poetry, Ulrich." Yang said, walking away.

Yup, definitely should have told her the whole story. "Oh, well, I'm not ready."

"But I am." Yang said, stopping to face him, "And why must everything for a woman be run on a man's schedule?"

"Well, a man's day is fuller, and... Well, you see, a man, he has more demands on his time."

"Is that so?" Yang's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms.

"Yes. Maybe. No?"

"I demand poetry... when I want it, and I want it now."

Jaune struggled to find the right words. When he failed, Yang rolled her eyes and walked off, Jaune hot on her heels. "Yang, how can I prove my love to you? How?"

"Do you ask in earnest?" she asked him.

"Yes." Jaune said, all honesty.

Yang stared at him for a moment before nodding. "If you would prove your love, you should do your worst."

"My worst." He said with a smile, "What do you mean?"

"Instead of winning to honor me with your high reputation, I want you to act against your normal character and do badly."

"Do badly?"

"Lose."

"No." Jaune shook his head, trying to find her logic. "Losing proves nothing, except that I'm a loser."

"Wrong." Yang said loudly, walking up to him. "Losing is a much keener test of your love. Losing would contradict your own self-love and show your obedience to your lover and not yourself!"

A priest quickly came up behind Yang. "Sssshhh, woman!

"Do not shush me and spare him." Yang rounded on the man, her eyes blazing red. "Now be gone! Go!" she turned back to Jaune, her eyes changing back to lilac. "What is your answer?"

"I will not lose." Jaune said, letting his pride carry him.

"Then you do not love me." Yang said, staring him down until he left.

"The Protector of Faunus Virginity" Ren said, doing his introduction before the people of Mistral while balancing on the dividing fence and adding in a few extras titles he came up with on the spot, "The Enforcer of our Lord, God, the one, the only, Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein!" the crowd cheered, ringing bells and chanting Ulrich's name. "God, I'm good." Ren said, impressed with himself.

Yang watched from the stands as his helm was secured in place, his eyes not leaving her the whole time. "Ugh, his horse's flanks?" she said.

"Maybe where he comes from it means love?" Blake said, trying to cheer her up.

The flag was raised and Jaune's opponent charged him. Jaune trotted out, his companions egging him on, but he stopped dead in his tracks at the start of the divider.

"What are you doing?" Sun yelled.

"Losing." Jaune groaned.

"What?"

"I don't get it either."

Yang stood and watched as Jaune took the blow on his shoulder, the opponent's lance exploding upon impact, but at least he remained mounted. She winced at the blow, but smiled. "He loves me."

"Uh, are you blind?" Ren said, running up as the opponent returned to the start. "Did you not see the flag?"

"Yes, I saw the flag, okay?" Jaune said.

"I know what this is." Neptune said, "You wanna fall behind for a more dramatic victory."

"Look, Yang told me I should lose to prove my love for her."

"Oh, God, I liked it better when you were blind." Ren groaned as he walked off.

"Jaune, don't be an idiot." Sun said, "Each woman wants proof, that's all."

"Proof of what?" Jaune said, as Neptune growled and pointed at Ruby, who seemed to be taking this all in stride.

"That their legs haven't been uncrossed for nothing."

"Sun, I haven't gotten that far yet."

"Well then why in the name of St. Oum are we doing this?" Neptune yelled.

"Because- " they noticed the crowd growing louder, looked up, saw the knight running at them and scrambled to get out of the way before the past repeated itself, except the lance didn't break this time. The trio walked back up to Jaune, standing on his right. "Because I love her." He admitted.

"Get Ready" by Rare Earth played as Jaune took hit after hit, showering Sun, Neptune and Ruby in splinters. At one point, the head of the lance didn't break, and Ruby caught it without flinching.

"I'm gonna lose everything!" Neptune yelled at Ren, Sun and Ruby holding him back.

"That's why it's called gambling." Ren said. Neptune managed to break free from Sun and Ruby's hold and tackled Ren to the ground, punching, screaming and tearing clothes, while Sun and Ruby just stood back and watched.

"It's very romantic though." Ruby said with a smile.

Sun looked at her. "Are you a woman or a blacksmith?"

The looked back to the two children. "Sometimes I'm both." Ruby said.

By mid-day, the company were in a tent. Jaune was sat in a chair, his left arm in some kind of wooden contraption, his wrist wrapped with leather attached to a crank-like device that Neptune was turning, while Ren massaged his shoulders.

"No one knight has distanced himself with victories yet." He told Jaune as Neptune cranked again. "If you win all your remaining matches and some of your opponents take key loses, who knows, you could make the semis. Maybe even the finals."

"Well at least the armor's proven itself." Ruby said, examining the left pauldron, the part that had taken the most damage.

"And your love?" Neptune asked, "Have you proven that yet?" he twisted again and Jaune cried in pain as his arm was pulled.

"Dammit, Nep, you remember church as a boy." He said in pain, "The fear, the passion. That's what she makes me feel. And for that, I say my rosary to Yang and no one else."

"Jaune, that's blasphemous." Neptune said as he cranked again, and Jaune yelled all the harder as his arm stretched still further. A small crack and pop was heard, and Jaune sighed in relief, Neptune quickly undoing the crank and freeing his arm.

"Oh, then may I burn in Hell." Jaune said.

"Withdraw." Sun pleaded, "Lose that way. Just don't take anymore punishment."

Jaune tried to argue with him, but Blake walked up behind him and tapped Sun on the shoulder. He nodded to her curtly.

"My lady sends this message," Blake said. "She says that if you love her- "

"Look, I know, I know. I must lose." Jaune cut her off. "Is she not watching?"

Blake took this in stride. "She says that if you love her, you will not lose another match. She says that if you love her, you will win this tournament." Jaune groaned in disbelief and fell over backwards cursing up a storm as Blake walked away with a small smile to Sun.

A few minutes later, Jaune sat atop his horse, ready for the next bout. His losing streak was extensive, and it would take a lot to even get into a position where victory was more than a pipe dream. Thankfully, he had _a lot_ of pent up aggression to focus on his side.

"There she is," Ren said, pointing to Yang in the stands, "The embodiment of love. Your Venus."

"Oh, and how I hate her." Jaune said, closing his visor and taking his lance. No doubt his opponent assumed an easy win from him. This was going to be _so_ cathartic.

Jaune charged the knight and broke his lance on the man's chest. Neptune laughed as he cheered.

"I do not understand women," he admitted to Ren.

"Nor do I, but they understand us." Ren agreed. He then turned to Neptune, "Well, maybe not you."

The second time he faced the knight, he unhorsed him. The third time, he hit him so hard his helmet was sent flying into the crowd.

That night, Ren collected the group's winnings from the men in the tavern with a smile on his face. As he walked back to the tent he, Neptune and Sun shared, he saw Yang walk into Jaune's tent. They had given him his own to allow him to better rest from the beatings he had gotten today.

"Salem goes to Ozma." He said to himself. "Treat him well, my lady. Treat him well."

"We missed you at banquet, Sir Ulrich." Yang said to Jaune, who was laid on his back on a cot.

"We?" he asked, still a little bitter.

"I." Yang amended. "Me, your prize."

"My prize." Jaune chuckled, rolling his eyes. He didn't exactly feel like he had won anything, or proven anything other than he could take a hell of a beating. "I am not worthy of a prize."

"Then who is?" asked Yang as she shed the cloak she was wearing, revealing her pale gold night gown. She got on her knees and leaned against Jaune's cot. "My maid tells me, that sometimes your attendants call you 'Jaune'. Is this so, Sir Ulrich?"

"Yes." He admitted, "Yes, it is."

Yang smiled and climbed into bed, sitting next to him. "Your name makes no difference to me, just so long as I can call you my own." She took his hand.

"I assure you Yang, I am your own." Jaune said as she leaned in to kiss him. Suddenly he cried out in pain, clutching his side. "Dammit."

Yang pulled down the sheets enough to see the wound. "God, you need a surgeon."

"He came earlier. Says I'll live, but damn me if it doesn't feel like it."

Yang took his hand again. "Jaune, this pain is my fault."

"Yes, it is." Jaune said, making her laugh again. She helped him sit up in the cot. "Although, my father taught me to take the bad with the good."

"Well, I can assure you, that any good that comes of this night will also be my doing." She said, kissing him and pushing him back onto the bed.

A few weeks after the tournament at Mistral, the company of five were sat on a barge at night, a large man pulling on a chain to move the barge. Ren shivered in the cold and rubbed his hands together.

"How long since any of you have been back?" he asked. "I've only been gone six months."

"Two years for me." Ruby said.

"Three years here." Neptune said.

"Five." Sun said, "Five long years."

When Jaune didn't answer, Ren called his name. It didn't reach him though. Jaune was caught in a memory from childhood. He was sat on this same barge with his father, the bargeman making conversation.

"He's to be an apprentice, then?" the man asked, spitting into the water. Joseph nodded, holding Jaune close. "How long?"

"Seven years." He answered. When the barge landed, Joseph quickly led Jaune over to a tall man with short, spiky red hair. "Sir Adam?" Adam turned, revealing a clean shaven face, blue eyes and a pair of horns sticking out of his head. There was nothing of the Adam we know in him. His face was calm and calculating, not a trace of hatred present nor any blemishes of any kind.

"I'm the thatcher. We spoke outside Vale Stadium." Joseph explained.

"Ah, yes. I remember." Adam said kindly, before looking down at Jaune. "This him?"

Joseph held Jaune close before nodding. "Yeah."

"Well, step forward, lad, let me have a look at you." As Jaune stepped forward, a sword clanged against the cart. "Careful with that, Sun!" Adam sternly said to a much younger Sun, who nodded. Adam turned back to Jaune. "Are you afraid of me, boy?" Jaune shook his head. "No? How about teeth? You still got most of those?" Jaune held his mouth open, showing Adam his mostly pearly whites. "Good. Show me your arm. You got a strong arm?" Jaune flexed his arm, muscle barely existent. Adam tested it, but seemed to find it suitable. "Well, he's a half-starved little scarecrow, but he's got spirit."

Adam knelt down to look Jaune in the eyes. "I can show you a great, wide world, full of adventure and marvels that you do not yet dream of. Can you pack my horse and lead it?" Jaune nodded. Adam smiled, "Alright then. Let's get started. Say goodbye to your father.

Joseph knelt before his son. "He's a real knight, Jaune. Watch and learn all you can." He pulled Jaune into one final hug. "It's all I can do for you, son. Now, go. Change your stars and live a better life than I have." He stood and looked at Adam, who nodded at him.

"Sun, show the boy his duties." Adam ordered.

Before he could, Jaune ran after his father, stopping at the dock for the barge. "Father, I'm afraid." He said.

"Of what?" Joseph asked.

"I won't know the way back home."

"It's simple, son. Just follow your feet."

"Jaune?" Ren asked again. This time, Jaune answered.

"Twelve years. Twelve years away." He looked up and stood, "But now I'm home."

Sun stood with him. "Vale." He whispered. Everyone looked up. In the rising morning light, the outline of houses, churches and towers could be seen, with the spires of Beacon reaching up off to the left.

Vale

World Championships

'The Boys are Back in Town' by Thin Lizzy began playing as knights paraded through the streets of Vale, their shields and colors held aloft by their attendants. Jaune was no different, dressed in full armor, riding through the streets as Ruby, Sun and Neptune walked alongside him, their faces painted in the green and gold of Sir Ulrich.

Jaune was awkwardly waving to the crowd when he passed by a familiar stockade. A young blonde boy was crouched on it, waving at him. For a split second, Jaune could swear that little boy was a younger version of himself, waving at him and giving him a thumbs-up before it changed back into the local boy. Jaune smiled and waved at him as his horse moved along. Soon, the crowd was chanting his fake name. He looked up and saw a gaggle of attractive young women trying to get his attention, the attention of any knight, really.

Slowly, the knights began to file into the massive stadium, standing side by side. Ren came running up.

"I have news." He panted. "Cardin's here. He's entered."

"Must have grown bored with whatever war they're fighting." Sun said.

"No, no, the White Prince commanded it." Ren explained, "The Free Companies are disbanded. They were reveling in the night, pillaging town after town, robbing and murdering and ransacking churches. Faunus mostly. All the oldest sins committed in the newest ways."

Cardin rode up next to Jaune. "At last we will face each other again, Sir Ulrich." He said "And at the World Championship, no less."

"Like I promised you before, Winchester, you will look up at me from the flat of your back." Jaune replied. He looked into the stands and saw Yang smiling at him, so he smiled back, thinking back to the night they spent together. Unfortunately, Cardin saw as well.

"Let the past die." He said, "You've done well in my absence, on the field and off, so I've been told. Winning trophies, horses, women."

"You put them in that order?" Jaune asked.

Cardin considered this. "Generally, with a few exceptions." He saw him smiling at Yang again. "Beautiful, isn't she? A real thoroughbred trophy, don't you think?"

Jaune's face twisted in annoyance. "You speak of Yang like she is a target."

"Isn't she?"

"No." he turned to look at Cardin. "She is the arrow."

Cardin scoffed at him. "I've entered into negotiations with her father. I aim to make her my bride. She'll be saddled and placed on my mantel. Target or arrow, it makes no difference to me. I will have her."

The crowd began chanting Ulrich's name as Jaune faced off against his first opponent. Jaune couldn't quite place it, but something was off with this foe. He was leaning to one side and it threw his lance off target, allowing Jaune to land a solid blow on his chest, knocking him from the saddle without taking a hit himself.

Cardin watched from a corner in the stands as the knight's horse ran past with his master hanging off him.

"How would you beat him?" he asked an older man standing next to him.

"With a stick, while he slept." The man said, "But on a horse? With a lance? That man is unbeatable."

With his matches for the day done, Jaune wandered the streets of Vale on horseback, not even caring about the downpour of rain. He stopped at an overhang that connected two houses on opposite sides of the street and shook the water from his blonde locks. He noticed a small girl sitting on a barrel nearby, playing with a toy lance bearing his colors.

"Hello, there." he said. The girl looked up at him, smiled and looked back to her toy. Then, her brain caught up with her eyes and she looked at him with wonder.

"You... You're Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein." She said in a shaky voice.

"Yes." Jaune said with a smile.

"You're my favorite knight!" she said, now smiling, "When we joust, I always say I'm you. What are you doing here in Cheapside? There's no parade today."

Jaune looked around, but saw no one else, not in this weather. "Can you keep a secret?" he said, leaning down toward her. She nodded eagerly, and he saw no deception in her eyes. He dismounted and squatted next to her, so that he was looking up at her. "I used to live in Cheapside, just around the corner there."

"Really, Sir Ulrich?"

"Really really."

"I only live just there." She pointed to a house a few doors down from them.

"Well, how old are you?"

"Nine and one half." She said proudly.

"Nine and one half." Jaune repeated, sounding impressed. "I wonder, do you remember a man, though he may have died before you were born. He was as tall as a knight, and just as broad. His name was Joseph Arc."

"Of course, I do." She said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You do?"

"Well, yeah, he lives there still." She said, the knowledge hitting Jaune like a ton of bricks. "Sometimes we see him sitting at the window, but no one knows why."

"What do you mean?"

"He's all alone, Sir." The girl said, looking down sadly.

A few minutes later, Jaune was walking up the steps of the house he had grown up in. At the top of the stairs, he saw a man sitting in a chair facing the hearth, back to the stairs. Jaune stopped when he stood in the doorway.

"Who's that?" a gruff voice asked. "If you're here to sell me something, I'm not damn interested."

"No, sir, I'm a knight." Jaune replied.

"Good for you."

"My name is Ulrich."

"Hmph, heard of you. You sound some sort of decent at least. Now, what do you want?"

"I have word, Master Arc, of your son."

Joseph, paused as his drink reached his lips. Slowly, he put the drink down, but didn't rise. "And what word is that?" His voice was shaky. "Does he live?"

"Yes, he lives. He is very well. He wanted you to know, that he changed his stars after all."

Joseph took in a heavy, shaky breath. "And has he followed his feet?"

"Yes."

Joseph rose, revealing a man with short grey hair, and a matching beard. "Oh my God." He whispered, "Jaune." He walked over to his son and embraced him tightly, Jaune meeting him half-way and doing the same.

The rain continued to pour as the two men reconnected, laughing, eating, drinking and speaking of each other's lives since that day twelve years ago.

"I should like to meet this Neptune, and Sun as well." Joseph laughed, eating some bread.

"You will, Dad, you will." Jaune chuckled with him. "Alright, my turn, where is everyone else? Where are mom and the girls?"

"Ah, well, Saphron is in Argus. She met a girl- Terra, I think her name was- about a year or two after you left. They bonded over shared interests and set out to make names for themselves. Last I heard, they were far closer than that."

"How close?"

"Well, let's just say you're an uncle now. Your mother and the rest live in the house of Arturia's husband down in Attika. A good man by the name of Emiya."

"I take it you and Mom made him prove himself worthy before giving your blessings?" Jaune joked.

"Rigorously." Joseph assured him.

"Now then, Jauney Boy, tell me, what of women? Is there a certain one, or many?"

Jaune smiled to himself. "Just the one, Dad."

"I should like to meet her as well."

"You'd like her, I'd wager." Jaune said, taking a bite of some cheese. "But this leak won't do." He frowned at the dripping water coming from the ceiling. "Not in the most noble house of Arc."

"A little water won't kill me." Joseph chuckled.

"Well, let me have a look at it." Jaune said, making for the window so he could climb onto the roof. Unbeknownst to him, Cardin stood in the shadows on the streets below, a cloaked woman pointing out the Arc home. He saw Jaune climb out the window and onto the roof and smiled viciously.

The church bells tolled over Vale as Jaune prepared himself for the second day of competition. Or rather, his friends helped him into his armor while he stood and told them about meeting with his father last night.

"Alive. Can you imagine that?" he said, practically giddy. "And here I thought he was dead, which is just plain stupid, cuz he was always so strong. I remember-" he stopped and turned to see Ren and Yang walking up to him in the stable. "Ren, Yang! This day just gets better and better."

"Somebody die?" Sun asked when Ren didn't respond and just kept failing to look Jaune in the eye.

"Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein." Ren said.

"What?" Jaune asked, confused.

"Cardin had you followed last night." Yang explained. "To Cheapside. He claims he saw your father."

"Jaune, they asked me for your patents." Ren told him, guilt filling his voice. "They're waiting for you in the lists. They're gonna arrest you. A dozen royal guards. They're gonna put you in the stocks."

"But I face Cardin in five minutes time." Jaune said, refusing to accept that the game was up.

"No, you forfeit." Ren said, "They've already marked it down."

"Saddle the horses." Sun ordered. "They can arrest your baggage, not you."

Jaune stood there and looked at Yang. "Wait." He said, standing in front of Yang, letting her see him for the peasant and liar he was. "So, uh, what do you think? Now that you know what I am." Her opinion was all that mattered to him right now. He could accept the game being up so long as he could still be hers.

"Heh. To know what you are, Jaune, would take a lifetime." She answered, "One I am most willing to give. But right now, you need to run." Jaune was glad to hear that she still loved him, but to hear her tell him to run stoked his anger. "There's no good option here. Run, and I will run with you."

"Yang, I can't run." He told her. "I am a knight, and I will put myself to the hazard."

"A knight in your heart, but not on paper." Sun said, "And that's all that fucking matters to them."

"Jaune, I love you." Yang said, "Truly, I do. And I'm sorry, but I won't see you led to the stocks."

"Oh, but you will see me run? No!" he said.

"Damn your pride, Jaune. It is you, and only you, that will not allow you to run."

"My pride is the only thing they can't take from me!"

"But they can take it from you! They can and they will!" Yang was crying at this point. "But love they cannot take."

The tears quelled Jaune's rising temper and his voice lowered. "And where will we live?" he asked. "In... in my hovel? With the pigs inside in winter so they won't freeze?"

"Yes, Jaune, with the pigs." Yang sighed, "The poor can marry for love."

"Oh, Yang, you speak of what you do not know."

"Jaune, I beg you, please, run. Do it for love."

Jaune saw the battle with her was lost, so he turned to his friends. "Sun, you would see me run?" Sun nodded, unable to look his friend in the eye. "Ren?"

"Yes, Jaune. With all the pieces of my heart."

Jaune sighed and pointed at him angrily for that low blow. "Nep. You and I, we aren't runners."

"Yes, Jaune, today we are."

He looked to Ruby. "Run, Jaune."

"No!" he yelled, "I will not run!"

Sun could see the resolve in his friend, misplaced, misguided and stubborn as it was and nodded. "Well, boys, all good things must come to an end. Let's end 'em together."

The five friends walked out to the lists. Jaune took the lead, flanked by Ren and Neptune, with Sun leading his horse and Ruby carrying his helm. They were met by the herald for the tournament, who came flanked by a unit of pikemen dressed in the white and pale blue colors of the Schnee family. The herald stepped in Jaune's path and stood resolutely in front of him.

"You shall remove yourself from this position of honor." He said calmly.

Jaune stared him down. "I am here to compete."

"You are here to be arrested." The herald nodded and the two of the guardsmen bound Jaune's arms behind his back while the rest kept his friends from helping him.

Cardin smiled and watched from the other side of the field as everything went down. Russel stood behind him, having put the dots together and bewildered that his lord would do something so dishonorable to secure victory for himself.

Cardin would visit Jaune later in prison. The latter stood in a square cell, his wrists tied to a wooden beam placed behind his head. He paced around Jaune, almost wary of the man, like the bound man was some sort of wild animal that could attack him at any moment.

"He that strives to touch a star, often stumbles on a simple straw." He said, approaching Jaune. "You have been weighed." He whispered before punching him in the side. "You have been measured." A slap across the face. "And you have been found wanting." A gut shot. "It's one loss or another, Jaune Arc. In what world, could you have ever beaten me?" With a final strike to the knee, he left the cell.

By midday, Jaune found himself in the same stocks he had passed only a day previously, left on display for a large crowd of the common folk. The boy who had waved at him ran up to him and slapped his head, making the crowd laugh at the would-be knight. Soon, Sun stepped up, armed with a long, heavy stick.

"Leave me, Sun." Jaune said, resigned "Let them have me."

Sun shook his head, putting the stick behind his head and resting his arms on it. "God love you, Jaune. So do I."

"Go on! Get!" Neptune yelled, stepping out of the crowd, followed by Ruby, who was wearing a bandolier containing every smithing tool she possessed, though she currently held a pair of hammers. Neptune began hurling insults and threats at the braying crowd in his usual, ineffective manner, while Ren stepped forth to make sure Jaune was okay. Then, he turned to the crowd.

"Listen to me!" he yelled to be heard over the tumult but the crowd simply began throwing vegetable at them. Sun and Ruby managed to keep them from hitting Jaune, not caring if they took any hits while doing so.

Suddenly, the entire crowd hushed as Whitley Schnee drew back the dark hood he had been wearing, as did his bodyguards. He walked up to the stocks and knelt next to Jaune.

"What a pair we make, huh?" he said quietly. "Both trying to hide who we are, both unable to do so." He looked around to Sun, Neptune and Ren on one side, and Ruby on the other. "Your men love you. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough. But you also tilt when should withdraw. And that is knightly too." He turned to the guards. "Release him." he ordered, sending whispers throughout the crowd.

He turned to the crowd and spoke to them with authority. "He may appear to be of humble origins, but my _personal_ historians have discovered that he is descendent from an ancient royal line." The crowd muttered in astonishment. "This is my word, and as such is beyond contestation." He turned to Jaune. "Now, if I may repay the kindness you once showed me? Take a knee."

Jaune breathed heavily and got down on his knees before Whitley, who drew a sword from his waist. "By the power vested in me by my Grandfather, King Nicholas, and by all the witnesses here, I dub thee, Sir Jaune of House Arc." The crowd cheered at the momentous occasion, until Whitley silenced them with a gesture. "Arise, Sir Jaune." He held out a hand to the now official knight to help him to his feet, which he gladly accepted. "Now tell me, Sir, can you compete? After all, I do have a tournament to finish. Or shall the forfeit stand?"

"Oh, I am fit." Jaune said, new strength filling him.

"I shall have your opponent informed of it." Whitley assured him, the two sharing the same hungry smile, "You look for his shield in the lists. At once."

"Thank you, my lord."

Trumpets played a fan fare as Whitley took his place in the stands, along side his orange-haired, pink and green dressed wife. He took her hand and smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"My lords, my ladies, and all you other people." Russel said, trying out Ren's style as he announced Cardin. Meanwhile, Cardin was speaking to a familiar-looking raven haired woman with yellow eyes who was holding one of his lance heads.

"Are you sure?" he asked her.

"Yes, my lord," Cinder said in a sultry voice, "It's nothing more than spun sugar and boot black." Cardin crushed the fist-shaped lance head in his hand to reveal a deadly point.

"Jaune, I know it's a small target," Ren said, handing his lord a lance, "But aim for the heart."

Jaune nodded, but looked to Blake in the stands. Yang was nowhere to be seen and all Blake could do was shrug. He nodded back and looked over to Cardin as a squire locked his visor in place. Jaune did the same with his own. The flag bearer raised the flag and the opponents charged each other, Cardin's horse rearing as it started, while Jaune's received a solid slap on the rear from Sun. The two met, but only Cardin's lance broke upon impact, Jaune's not even hitting.

Jaune's friends ran up to him and saw that a large chunk of lance was protruding from his shoulder. Even Whitley winced when he saw the state Jaune was in. Jaune removed his helm and found he couldn't so much as touch the lance without feeling great pain.

"Oh, God. I'll fetch the surgeon, Jaune." Sun said.

"Sun, you're the surgeon now." Jaune told him

Sun nodded and held Jaune's shoulder in place as he grabbed the chunk of wood and pulled hard, revealing the sharp point at the end.

"The bastard's tipped it." Ruby said angrily, her silver eyes flashing.

"Save it, Ruby." Jaune said, "Just help me get back to one, before we forfeit."

"That dirty, slimy, impotent son of a bitch." Neptune growled as Ren walked up to him, seeing the lance head.

Back at his start, Sun handed Jaune another lance. He groaned a bit at the weight, but ultimately used the pain to fuel him for the next bout. The men charged each other, but Jaune could not bear the weight, and dropped his lance half-way, allowing Cardin to break his own lance on Jaune's left arm. Thankfully, this one was not tipped.

The company ran to Jaune as he removed his helm.

"Ruby! Ruby, I can't breathe." He gasped. Ruby took off his primary shoulder guard and began tinkering with the neck piece as Cardin walked up.

"Like I said, Arc." He said smugly, "In what world could you have ever beaten me? Such a place does not exist."

"She's here, Jaune." Ren said, walking up to the group. "And so is your father."

Jaune looked up and could indeed see his father sitting next to Yang, who was wearing a pale yellow dress and talking animatedly with his father.

"Change your star." Jaune whispered to himself. He looked to Cardin, "Let's dance, you and I."

"It's two lances to none." Sun told him as the three led Jaune back to the start, "You must unhorse him, or kill him. It's the only way to win."

Ruby managed to get the rest of Jaune's armor off, leaving him in only his padded gear.

"You need more padding." She suggested.

"No, leave it off." Jaune said, "I can't breathe with it on." Ruby looked to Sun, who nodded. "Lance." Neptune handed him the lance, but Jaune cried out at the weight. "Nope. Gah, I can barely grip it. Dammit." Jaune panted, trying to think of an answer, though he could only come up with the one. "Lash it to my arm." He ordered Neptune, who looked up at him in disbelief. "Nep, lash it to my arm."

Neptune looked to Sun. "Do it." he agreed.

Meanwhile, Ren paced in front of the noble stands, hating that there was nothing he could do to help. He saw Neptune tying the lance to Jaune's arm, and then saw the flag bearer preparing to start the match. He had to do something, so he did what he was best at; talking. He ran up in the noble box and stood on the banister.

"Good people, I missed my introduction!" the crowd supporting Jaune cheered, missing the second most entertaining part of Jaune's matches. "But please, please, I pray you, hear it now. For I would lay rest the grace in my tongue and speak plain. Days like these, are far too rare to cheapen with heavy-handed words. And so, I'm afraid, without any ado whatsoever- pardon me my lord," he stepped up between Whitley and Penny, "Here he is! One of your own! Born a mere stone's throw from this very stadium and here before you now. The son of Joseph Arc, Sir Jaune of Arc!"

Jaune looked up, hearing the crowd cheer. "That's your name, Jaune." Neptune said to him. "Sir Jaune Arc. Your father heard that."

Jaune nodded and stared across the field to Cardin. The men stared at each other, waiting for the flag bearer to raise. The world slowed as the two charged each other, Cardin in full gear, Jaune in only his padding.

As they neared, Jaune screamed his name as loud as he could. "Jaune of Arc!" and thrust his lance right into Cardin's chest. The lance exploded and the man was thrown backwards. He felt himself leave the saddle and the world froze around him. He lay on his back, hovering above the ground.

Neptune walked up to him and looked down at him. "You have been weighed."

Sun joined him. "You have been measured."

Ruby walked up, hands on her hips. "And you absolutely..."

Ren looked down between Ruby and Sun, "Have been found wanting."

Jaune joined the four of them and smiled widely down at Cardin. "Welcome to the new world." He said. "God save you, if it is right that he should." Then the quintet walked off, and time caught up with Cardin as he was thrown from his horse and landed on his front, Jaune's cry still ringing in his ears.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and even Whitley joined them, before laying a happy kiss on a smiling Penny.

"That's my boy!" Joseph yelled as Yang ran from the box. She brushed past Russel, who was clapping and chuckling for the honorable win.

Jaune struggled his arm from the lance as his friends met him on the field. He hugged Neptune and Sun, and then hopped the fence when he saw Yang running up. He met her and the two embraced in a deep kiss, tuning out the crowd and all else.

"I think I'm gonna have to write some of this story down." Ren said as the companions watched the lovers embrace.

"The part about the prince and the knights?" Neptune asked.

"No, no, no, all of it." Ren said, "All human activity lies within the artist's scope." He pursed his lips. He looked to Neptune. "Maybe not yours."

Neptune looked at him, offended, until a smirk spread across his face. Neptune chuckled and drew Ren into a half-hearted headlock.

'You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC played as the credits rolled.


End file.
